The present invention relates to a roll film camera, particularly a miniature camera with a provision for a cartridge, and film take-up and supply-reels disposed on a side of the film gate remote from the lens, and wherein the film is rerouted between the supply reel and the film gate through an angle exceeding 90.degree..
An arrangement of the film supply-and take-up reels at the side of the film remote from the lens has the advantage that the reels can be disposed very close to one another, so that the required camera width or length, as defined in the direction of the film track, only exceeds the width or length of the film gate marginally. Furthermore, as a result of the reels being so close to one another, the camera gearing is simplified, and space is saved for driving the reels.
In view of the unusually large angle of rerouting, or bend, of the film there arise problems relating to maintaining the film flat within the film gate, which problems are hardly present in a conventional roll film camera. In a conventional roll film camera, the film reels are disposed at respective ends of the film gate, and the film is supplied, or taken-up in a direction tangential to the reels, and is not bent when passing from the supply reel to the take-up reel through the film gate. Although the film has a certain tendency to retain any curvature it has assumed in the supply reel, as a result of dwelling in the camera for some time, and drying therein, this tendency of the film to remain curved can be rendered harmless by a suitable film gate guidance, and a pressure plate in the film gate, without causing any serious difficulties.
This task has proved more difficult in roll film cameras, in which the film is supplied from the supply reel or film cartridge and subtends an acute angle, or is disposed almost at right angles with respect to the film inlet edge of the film gate, a practice which is customary in reflex cameras having two lenses. Here it is possible for the film to become pronouncedly curved when remaining in the camera between two shots or pictures, the center of the curvature or bend then passing during the next film advance to the image field or frame, thus giving rise to an improperly focused zone in the next picture or shot taken, if such a curvature or bend can no longer be compensated by the film guidance means and the film pressure plate, and if this defect cannot be remedied by a tight guidance of the film between, for example, a plate of flat glass or transparent material, and a pressure plate, or by the film guidance means having a curvature so as to make the formation of a bend and harmless as possible from the very start.